Calendar Publishers in the US Industry Market Research Report Now Available from IBISWorld

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The rise of the smartphone and the increasing prevalence of mobile internet connections have directly reduced demand for the Calendar Publishers industry. More and more consumers are using digital and online calendars to schedule their lives. The convenience and customization offered by services like Google Calendar, combined with rising input costs like the price of paper, have created extremely difficult conditions for the Calendar Publishers industry. For these reasons, industry research firm IBISWorld has added a report on the Calendar Publishers industry to its growing industry report collection.

Consumers are increasingly plugged in to their digital devices, and they are buying fewer printed calendars each year. The transition to digital technologies was particularly pronounced during the past five years as consumers adopted calendar applications on smartphones, hurting demand for the Calendar Publishers industry. Such applications enable consumers to access and share their schedules on the go. Since 2007 the number of mobile internet connections is estimated to rise at double-digit rates. “Meanwhile,” says IBISWorld industry analyst Agata Kaczanowska, “consumer spending on discretionary items like wall calendars also declined due to high unemployment and uncertainty during and after the Great Recession.” Spending on office calendars was simultaneously slashed as businesses implemented budget cuts to protect profitability. Downstream retail store closures and liquidations also hampered demand for calendars in the short term. Consequently, industry revenue is expected to fall at a 9.0% annualized rate during the past five years to $1.6 billion, including a 7.2% decline from 2011 to 2012.

In response to a contracting market, companies are diversifying or exiting the industry altogether. Diversification enables companies to boost or maintain profitability while focusing on new products and markets. Although IBISWorld expects the number of companies to decline at an 11.5% five-year annualized rate to 229 in 2012, industry profit is expected to contract during this time. Most firms in the Calendar Publishers industry are small and employ fewer than 20 workers, and maintaining profit margins is crucial to many companies’ survival. Profit is being constrained by quickly declining revenue and simultaneously rising input costs. For example, the price of paper is anticipated to rise during the five years to 2012. “To cut costs further,” says Kaczanowska, “companies in the industry are investing in technologies that automate production and decrease waste by recycling materials.” Due to higher automation and company closures, the number of employees is estimated to fall quickly in the five years to 2012.

During the next five years, higher consumer spending will slow revenue declines. However, a continued shift toward digital calendar use will result in lower revenue each year. As the number of book stores and other brick-and-mortar calendar retailers dwindles, industry products will become even more inconvenient for consumers to buy. As a result, industry revenue is forecast to fall over the five years to 2017. For more information, visit IBISWorld’s Calendar Publishers in the US industry report page.

About IBISWorld Inc.
Recognized as the nation’s most trusted independent source of industry and market research, IBISWorld offers a comprehensive database of unique information and analysis on every US industry. With an extensive online portfolio, valued for its depth and scope, the company equips clients with the insight necessary to make better business decisions. Headquartered in Los Angeles, IBISWorld serves a range of business, professional service and government organizations through more than 10 locations worldwide. For more information, visit http://www.ibisworld.com or call 1-800-330-3772.